an autobiography-第39节

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to　the　last*　　＇footnote。。。　Mr。　Cragg　died　in　1853；　aged　84。　　。。。＇　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I　continued　a　most　friendly　intercourse　with　my　intended　patron；　while　he　on　his　part　took　an　almost　paternal　interest　in　my　progress。

After　my　visit　to　Liverpool　I　passed　on　to　Manchester。　I　was　fortunate　in　having　introductions　to　some　of　the　leading　men　there；to　John　Kennedy；　William　Fairbairn；　the　Grant　Brothers；　and　lastly；　to　that　most　admirable　man；　Benjamin　Hick；　engineer；　Bolton。　To　narrate　in　detail　all　the　instances　of　warm　and　hospitable　kindnesses　which　I　received　from　men　in　Lancashire；　even　from　the　outset　of　my　career　there；　would　fill　a　volume。

I　first　went　to　see　my　friend　Edward　Tootal；　who　had　given　me　so　kind　a　reception　in　1830。　　I　was　again　cordially　received；　he　now　promised　to　befriend　me；　which　he　did　most　effectually。　　I　next　visited　John　Chippendale；　of　the　firm　of　Thomson；　Chippendale；　and　Company；　calico　printers。　　I　had　met　him　at　a　friend's　house　in　London；　where　he　had　offered；　if　I　ever　visited　Manchester；　to　introduce　me　to　some　of　the　best　men　there。　　I　accordingly　called　upon　him　at　his　counting…house。　It　happened　to　be　Tuesday；　the　market　day；　when　all　the　heads　of　manufacturing　establishments　in　and　round　Manchester　met　together　at　the　Exchange　between　12　and　1；　and　thus　all　were　brought　to　a　focus　in　a　very　convenient　manner。

Mr。　Chippendale　first　introduced　me　to　Mr。　John　Kennedy；　one　of　the　most　distinguished　men　in　Manchester。　　I　had　a　special　letter　of　introduction　to　him　from　Buchanan　of　Catrine；　and　his　partner　Smith　of　Deanstone。　　I　explained　to　him　the　object　of　my　visit　to　Manchester；　and　he　cordially　entered　into　my　views。　　He　left　his　occupation　at　the　time；　and　went　with　me　to　see　a　place　which　he　thought　might　be　suitable　for　my　workshop。　　The　building　was　new　at　handin　Dale　Street；　Piccadilly。　　It　had　been　used　as　a　cotton　mill；　but　was　abandoned　by　the　owner　in　favour　of　more　suitable　and　extensive　premises。　　It　was　now　let　out　in　flats　for　manufacturing　purposes。　Power　was　supplied　to　each　flat　from　a　shaft　connected　with　a　large　mill　up　the　street；　the　owner　of　which　had　power　to　spare。　The　flat　shown　to　me　was　130　feet　long　by　27　feet　wide；　and　the　rent　was　only　#50　a　year。　　I　thought　the　premises　very　suitable；　but　I　took　a　night　to　sleep　over　it。　　I　thanked　Mr。　Kennedy　very　much　for　his　kindness；　and　for　the　trouble　which　he　had　taken　on　behalf　of　an　unknown　stranger。

On　this　memorable　day　I　had　another　introduction；　through　the　kindness　of　Mr。　Chippendale；　which　proved　of　great　service　to　me。　　It　was　to　the　Messrs。　Grant；　the　famous　〃Brothers　Cheeryble〃　of　Dickens。　I　was　taken　to　their　counting…house　in　Cannon　Street；　where　I　was　introduced　to　Daniel　Grant。　　Although　business　was　at　its　full　height；　he　gave　me　a　cordial　reception。　　But；　to　save　time；　he　invited　me　to　come　after　the　Exchange　was　over　and　take　〃tiffin〃　with　him　at　his　hospitable　mansion　in　Mosely　Street。

There；　he　said；　I　should　meet　some　of　the　most　enterprising　men　in　Lancashire。　　I　was　most　happy；　of　course；　to　avail　myself　of　his　invitation。　　I　went　thither　accordingly；　and　the　first　thing　that　Daniel　did　was　to　present　me　in　the　most　cordial　manner　to　〃his　noble　brother　William；〃　as　he　always　affectionately　called　him。　　William　was　the　head　of　the　firm；　and　he；　too；　gave　me　a　warm　and　hearty　welcome。　He　asked　me　to　sit　beside　him　at　the　head　of　the　table。

During　dinnerfor　indeed　it　was　such；　being　the　survival　of　the　old…fashioned　one　o'clock　dinner　of　a　departing　ageWilliam　entered　into　conversation　with　me。　　He　took　occasion　to　inquire　into　the　object　of　my　visit　to　Manchester。　　I　told　him；　as　briefly　as　I　could；　that　I　intended　to　begin　the　business　of　a　mechanical　engineer　on　a　very　moderate　scale；　and　that　I　had　been　looking　out　for　premises　wherein　to　commence　operations。　　He　seemed　interested；　and　asked　more　questions。　　I　related　to　him　my　little　history；　and　told　him　of　my　desires；　hopes；　and　aspirations。　　What　was　my　age？　　〃Twenty…six。〃　〃That　is　a　very　young　age　at　which　to　begin　business　on　your　own　account〃　〃Yes；　but　I　have　plenty　of　work　in　me；　and　I　am　very　economical。〃　Then　he　pressed　his　questions　home。　　〃But　what　is　your　capital？〃　I　told　him　that　my　capital　in　cash　was　#63。　　〃What！〃　he　said；　〃that　will　do　very　little　for　you　when　Saturday　nights　come　round。〃　〃That's　true；〃　I　answered；　〃but　as　there　will　be　only　myself　and　Archy　Torry　to　provide　for；　I　think　I　can　manage　to　get　along　very　well　until　profitable　work　comes　in。〃

He　whispered　to　me；　〃Keep　your　heart　up！〃　　With　such　views；　he　said；　I　was　sure　to　do　well。　　And　if；　he　added；　on　any　Saturday　night　I　wanted　money　to　pay　wages　or　other　expenses；　I　would　find　a　credit　for　#500　at　3　per　cent　at　his　office　in　Cannon　Street；　〃and　no　security。〃　These　were　his　very　words。　　What　could　have　been　more　generous？　I　could　only　whisper　my　earnest　thanks　for　his　warm…hearted　kindness。　He　gave　me　a　kindly　squeeze　of　the　hand　in　return；　which　set　me　in　a　glow　of　gladness。　　He　also　gave　me　a　sort　of　wink　that　I　shall　never　forgeta　most　knowing　wink。　　In　looking　at　me　he　seemed　to　turn　his　eye　round　and　brought　his　eyebrows　down　upon　it　in　a　sudden　and　extraordinary　manner。　　I　thought　it　was　a　mere　confirmation　of　his　kind　advice　to　〃keep　my　heart　up！〃　　It　was　not　until　two　years　after　that　I　found；　from　a　mutual　friend；　that　the　eye　in　question　was　made　of　glass！　　Sometimes　the　glass　eye　got　slightly　out　of　its　place；　and　Mr。　Grant　had　to　force　it　in　again　by　this　odd　contortion　of　his　eyebrows；　which　I　had　translated　into　all　manner　of　kind　intentions。　As　soon　as　the　party　broke　up　I　went　to　Wren　and　Bennett；　the　agents　for　the　flat　of　the　old　mill　which　I　had　seen　in　Dale　Street。　I　inspected　it　again；　and　found　that　it　was　in　all　respects　suitable　for　my　purpose。　　I　may　mention　in　passing　that　the　flat　below　mine　was　in　the　occupation　of　a　glass…cutter；　whose　glass…cutting　lathes　and　grindstones　were　supplied　with　power　from　the　same　upright　shaft　that　was　to　serve　me　in　the　same　manner　on　the　flat　above；　Encouraged　by　the　support　of　William　Grant；　I　immediately　entered　into　a　contract　for　the　premises　as　a　yearly　tenant。　　Nothing　could　have　been　more　happily　arranged　for　my　entering　into　business　as　a　mechanical　engineer　and　machine　tool　maker。　　The　situation　of　the　premises　was　excellent；　being　in　the　heart　of　Manchester　There　was　a　powerful　crab　crane；　or　hoisting　apparatus；　in　the　upper　story；　and　the　main　chains　came　down　in　front　of　the　wide　door　of　my　workshop；　so　that　heavy　castings　or　cases　of　machinery　might　be　lifted　up　or　let　down　with　the　utmost　case　and　convenience。　　At　the　same　time　I　was　relieved　from　looking　after　the　moving　power　and　its　natural　accompaniment　of　trouble　and　expense　in　the　way　of　fuel　and　attendance。

＇Image＇　　My　factory　flat　at　Manchester

When　I　had　settled　the　contract　for　taking　the　place；　I　wrote　down　to　Edinburgh　by　that　night's　post　to　tell　my　father　of　the　happy　results　of　my　visit　to　Manchester；　and　also　to　inform　my　right　hand　man；　Archy　Torry；　that　I　should　soon　be　with　him。　　He　was　to　prepare　for　packing　up　my　lathes；　planing　machines；　drilling　machines；　and　other　smaller　tools；　not　forgetting　my　father's　foot　lathe；　of　which　I　had　made　such　effective　use。*　　＇footnote。。。　I　have　still　this　foot…lathe　in　full　and　perfect　and　almost　daily　action。　　I　continue　to　work　with　it　now；　after　sixty…three　years　of　almost　constant　use。　　It　is　a　lathe　that　I　duly　prize　and　venerate；　not　only　because　it　was　my　father's；　but　also　because　it　was；　in　practical　fact；　the　progenitor；　more　or　less　directly；　of　all　the　mechanical　productions　of　my　long　and　active　life。　　。。。＇

I　soon　followed　up　my　letter。　　I　was　in　Edinburgh　in　a　few　days'　time；　and　had　all　my　tools　packed　up。　　In　the　course　of　about　ten　days　I　returned　to　Manchester；　and　was　followed　by　Archy　Torry　and　the　ponderous　cases　of　machinery　and　engineer's　tools。　　They　were　all　duly　delivered；　hoisted　to　my　flat；　and　put　in　their　proper　places。　I　was　then　ready　for　work。

The　very　first　order　I　received　was　from　my　friend　Edward　Tootal。　It　was　a　new　metallic　piston　for　the　small　steam…engine　that　gave　motion　to　his　silk…winding　machinery。　　It　was　necessary　that　it　should　be　done　over　night；　in　order　that　his　factory　should　be　at　work　as　usual　in　the　morning。

My　faithful　Archy　and　I　set　to　work　accordingly。　　We　removed　the　old　defective　piston；　and　replaced　it　by　a　new　and　improved　one；　made　according　to　my　own　ideas　of　how　so　important　a　part　of　a　steam…engine　should　be　constructed。　　We　conveyed　it　to　Mr。　Tootal's　factory　over　night；　and　by　five　o'clock　in　the　morning　gave　it　a　preliminary　trial　to　see　that　everything　was　in　order。　　The　〃hands〃　came　in　at　six；　and　the　machine　was　set　to　work。　　It　was　no　doubt　a　very　small　order；　but　the　piston　was　executed　perfectly　and　satisfactorily。　　The　result　of　its　easier　action；　through　reduced　friction；　was　soon　observable　in　the　smaller　consumption　of　coal。　　Mr。　Tootal　and　his　brother　were　highly　pleased　at　my　prompt　and　careful　attention　to　their　little　order；　and　it　was　the　forerunner　of　better　things　to　come。

Orders　soon　came　in。